By Philip Yatai

Save the Children International (SCI) said on Monday, that social protection programmes and interventions must be inclusive to effectively address poverty, inequality and exclusion.

Mrs Eunice Victor, SCI Social Protection and Inclusion Coordinator, Child Development Grant Programme, stated this at the opening of a three-day training on social protection and inclusion in Kaduna.

The training was organised by SCI, under the Ukaid-funded Child Development Grant Programme II, for Civil Society Organisations and journalists.

Victor explained that inclusive social protection systems ensure that everyone was able to access income that provides security throughout a lifecycle.

This, according to her, will promote personal wellbeing of the citizenry from childhood to old age and ensure they participate fully in social protection programmes in the state.

“Social protection is a set of policies, programmes and systems instituted by government that help poor and vulnerable households to reduce their economic shocks and social vulnerability.

“However, for social protection to be effective, it must be inclusive and seen as a right; as a means of bridging the poverty gap and an approach of attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

“Promoting inclusive social protection will ensure that most vulnerable groups, irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, disability and religious affirmation are able to access and participate in social protection programmes across life cycle,’’ she said.

She said that the training was designed to provide CSOs and journalists in Kaduna State an avenue to understand the need, not only for social protection but an inclusive social protection.

Victor said that the goal was to equip participants with necessary knowledge to effectively engage the formulation and implementation of social protection programmes to ensure no one was left behind.

Mr Jessica Bartholomew, Chairperson, Kaduna Social Protection Accountability Coalition (KADSPAC) thanked save the children for organising the training.

According to her, equipping CSOs and media with the needed knowledge around social protection and inclusion will improve their capacity to engage the process and make the needed impact.

Bartholomew said that the Kaduna state government had recently approved the state’s Social Protection Policy, stressing that the capacity building was crucial in ensuring full implementation of the policy.